Does meditation sound scary to you?

Perhaps you have tried it and could not do it but love the idea of using it as an outlet for your stress?

If you are willing to be open and change your perception of what it means to meditate, then keep reading because meditating doesn't have to mean sitting in silence... empty headed for one hour or more every morning.

After you've read this article, you'll see how you can change your life with just 5 minutes a day.

I find a good way to think of meditation is to think about it as "setting the tone" for your day.

Have you ever had someone say to you, "Boy, you must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today?" It is probably because you started your day and possibly the night before ruminating - replaying - mired in a difficulty that you are going through.

We all do it.

A way to break that cycle of thinking is to begin your day with just 5 minutes.

It has been scientifically proven that 5 minutes of anger depletes your immune system and hours to replenish it again.

So doesn't it make perfect sense that 5 minutes spent differently would make just as strong impact on you - your body - your emotions and your mental outlook?

Dr. Jon Lieff says, "Meditation increases memory and immune function; decreases stress, anxiety, depression, pain, inflammation; and is effective with cardiac disorders."

It is a way of life that creates the flow in their life. Paul Gorman believes, and has seen, meditation heal people. I personally have studied with him and have experienced the miracles of others.

So, enough about all of that. Are you game to trying something different?

If the name meditation is off-putting to you then call it something else. Maybe you can call it "5 Minutes of taking care of myself". Or better yet "5 minutes of Pleasure".

Oh, I like that one.

Here's 5 tips to get you started:

1. You don't have to be still for 5 minutes.

2. You can do it while you take your morning walk or drink that first cup of coffee or tea.

3. You don't have to sit a certain way.

4. You don't have to make a ritual around it - light a candle, incense etc.

5. Just do it!!!

Here's the process:

Think of a word - one that is positive to you. And no judgment please; what is positive to you may mean different things to different people.

Take 5 minutes and think about that word - what it means to you - think of moments of time that represent the word to you. Allow yourself to become infused with the emotions of it.

Let me give you an example: Sweetness. When I think of sweetness I think of a Mom taking care of her baby, watching a hawk fly, a gentle breeze cooling me and seeing it move the trees as if they are dancing together whispering love to each other.

Allowing all of those thoughts and feeling to infuse into my body feels really good.

Now the tone of my day is set on a good feelings and I find my day continues with an easier flow.

As you get into the flow of setting the tone of your day, you will begin to see the benefits to expanding your practice.

For you all that are meditators, here's a rule of thumb to follow: The tougher your moment in time is, the longer you are to meditate. Yes, even up to 4 hours.